Jacob Elordi Linked to James Bond Talks as Casting Speculation Intensifies

Speculation surrounding the next phase of the James Bond franchise has resurfaced following reports that actor Jacob Elordi may have recently met with filmmaker Denis Villeneuve regarding the role of 007.

The reports, which began circulating within entertainment media circles this week, have not been officially confirmed by Amazon MGM Studios, the Bond producers, or Villeneuve himself. As such, the claims remain unverified, though they have added momentum to ongoing discussions about who will succeed Daniel Craig as James Bond.

Elordi, best known for his performances in Euphoria, Saltburn, and Priscilla, has increasingly been mentioned in Bond speculation as the franchise prepares for a rebooted era. According to the reports, the alleged meeting with Villeneuve was informal and exploratory in nature, part of early conversations about the creative direction of the next Bond film rather than a concrete casting negotiation.

At present, there is no confirmation that Villeneuve is officially attached to direct the next Bond instalment, nor is there any indication that Elordi has been formally shortlisted, screen-tested, or offered the role. Large franchises such as James Bond typically conduct extensive internal discussions long before any casting decision is made public, often allowing rumours to circulate unchecked for months.

Amazon MGM is known to be reassessing the future of the Bond series following Craig’s exit, with the next film expected to introduce a redefined take on the character. While Elordi’s age, international profile, and recent run of high-profile performances have made him a recurring name in speculation, being discussed does not equate to being selected.

Until an official announcement is made by the studio or the Bond producers, the reports linking Jacob Elordi to early James Bond discussions should be treated as credible industry rumour rather than confirmed news.

31st Critics Choice Awards: Full Winners and Nominees List

The 31st Annual Critics Choice Awards, held on January 4, 2026, delivered one of the clearest awards-season statements yet. Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another emerged as the night’s biggest winner, taking home Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay.

The ceremony honoured the best films and television series of 2025, with strong showings from Sinners, Marty Supreme, Hamnet, The Pitt, and Adolescence.

Below is a full breakdown of the major categories, winners, and nominees.

FILM CATEGORIES

Best Picture

Winner: One Battle After Another

Nominees:

  • Bugonia
  • Frankenstein
  • Hamnet
  • Jay Kelly
  • Marty Supreme
  • Sentimental Value
  • Sinners
  • Train Dreams
  • Wicked: For Good

Best Director

Winner: Paul Thomas Anderson — One Battle After Another

Nominees:

  • Ryan Coogler — Sinners
  • Guillermo del Toro — Frankenstein
  • Josh Safdie — Marty Supreme
  • Joachim Trier — Sentimental Value
  • Chloé Zhao — Hamnet

Best Actor

Winner: Timothée Chalamet — Marty Supreme

Nominees:

  • Leonardo DiCaprio — One Battle After Another
  • Joel Edgerton — Train Dreams
  • Ethan Hawke — Blue Moon
  • Michael B. Jordan — Sinners
  • Wagner Moura — The Secret Agent

Best Actress

Winner: Jessie Buckley — Hamnet

Nominees:

  • Rose Byrne — If I Had Legs I’d Kick You
  • Chase Infiniti — One Battle After Another
  • Renate Reinsve — Sentimental Value
  • Amanda Seyfried — The Testament of Ann Lee
  • Emma Stone — Bugonia

Best Supporting Actor

Winner: Jacob Elordi — Frankenstein

Nominees:

  • Benicio del Toro — One Battle After Another
  • Paul Mescal — Hamnet
  • Sean Penn — One Battle After Another
  • Adam Sandler — Jay Kelly
  • Stellan Skarsgård — Sentimental Value

Best Supporting Actress

Winner: Amy Madigan — Weapons

Nominees:

  • Elle Fanning — Sentimental Value
  • Ariana Grande — Wicked: For Good
  • Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas — Sentimental Value
  • Wunmi Mosaku — Sinners
  • Teyana Taylor — One Battle After Another

Best Original Screenplay

Winner: Ryan Coogler — Sinners

Nominees:

  • Jay Kelly — Noah Baumbach & Emily Mortimer
  • Marty Supreme — Josh Safdie & Ronald Bronstein
  • Weapons — Zach Cregger
  • Sorry, Baby — Eva Victor
  • Sentimental Value — Eskil Vogt & Joachim Trier

Best Adapted Screenplay

Winner: Paul Thomas Anderson — One Battle After Another

Nominees:

  • Train Dreams — Clint Bentley & Greg Kwedar
  • No Other Choice — Park Chan-wook et al.
  • Frankenstein — Guillermo del Toro
  • Bugonia — Will Tracy
  • Hamnet — Chloé Zhao & Maggie O’Farrell

Best Young Actor / Actress

Winner: Miles Caton — Sinners

Nominees:

  • Everett Blunck — The Plague
  • Cary Christopher — Weapons
  • Shannon Mahina Gorman — Rental Family
  • Jacobi Jupe — Hamnet
  • Nina Ye — Left-Handed Girl

Best Animated Feature

Winner: KPop Demon Hunters

Nominees:

  • Flowervale Street
  • Inside Out 2
  • The Magnificent Life of Marcel Pagnol
  • Orion and the Dark

TELEVISION CATEGORIES

Best Drama Series

Winner: The Pitt

Nominees:

  • The Diplomat
  • Severance
  • All Her Fault
  • Ghosts
  • Slow Horses

Best Comedy Series

Winner: The Studio

Nominees:

  • Nobody Wants This
  • A Man on the Inside
  • The Righteous Gemstones
  • Murderbot
  • St. Denis Medical

Best Limited Series

Winner: Adolescence

Nominees:

  • Death by Lightning
  • Hacks
  • The Sympathizer
  • Ripley

Acting Categories (Television)

Best Actor in a Drama Series; Noah Wyle — The Pitt

Nominees:

  • Kieran Culkin — All Her Fault
  • Pedro Pascal — The Diplomat
  • Adam Scott — Severance

Best Actress in a Comedy Series; Jean Smart — Hacks

Nominees:

  • Quinta Brunson — Abbott Elementary
  • Maya Rudolph — Loot
  • Natasha Lyonne — Poker Face

Other TV Winners

  • Best Animated Series: South Park
  • Best Foreign Language Series: Squid Game
  • Best Variety Series: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
  • Best Comedy Special: SNL50: The Anniversary Special

One Battle After Another leaves the Critics Choice Awards as the clear film frontrunner of the season. On television, The Pitt and Adolescence solidified their status as prestige favourites heading into the remaining awards circuit.

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